Upstairs I heard a new voice join the chorus. One I hadn't heard before. It was a girl. She sounded older, and her voice was an alto. She sounded so confident in herself, and her words gave me pause at the top of the staircase.

-Behold! The Bringer of Doubt!-

Lovely. Sounded like someone I didn't have any desire to meet. I had more than enough doubts to contend with.

As I very, very carefully walked down the stairs, I spied Jack in the kitchen, eating what looked like the leftovers from breakfast. Good. He had to be hungry. Most travelers were hungry these days. Ever since the flash, some part of me had ached, thinking of him out there, probably hungry, likely in danger, while I sat here, practically in the lap of luxury. And when I thought about him, which was pretty often because I had lots of things to keep him in mind, the Cajuns, my horses, Tee-bo's family and Lionel, hell, even down to my nightshirt and the books I read; it made me feel that much more guilty about every bite of food I put in my mouth, wondering if he'd eat today.

So seeing him eating at our table made satisfaction curl somewhere deep inside me. I didn't care to examine that too closely.

I carefully made my way over, but in spite of taking it slow and easy, and holding on to the couch, and the chair along the way; my legs were shaking and the black spots had begun to appear again.

Into the kitchen. Almost to a chair. Five steps, four, three, two, one. I put one hand on the table and another on the seat of the chair, holding in a sigh of relief that I'd made it without passing out. Whew! Triumph! In life, always be grateful for the little things, like not falling flat on your face in front of important guests. Yes, that would have been humiliating. I fell into the chair, not even caring that my legs gave out. I leaned back, resting my head against the high back and slumping into the seat.

The nausea was still creeping up. I still felt dizzy. And I knew what that meant. I just might pass out after all.

Crap!

I should probably lay down...or put my feet up. I swallowed hard.

"Shouldn't you be in bed resting?" Jackson asked me casually, spooning grits into his mouth.

Oh well, if he insisted. I'd be happy to oblige. I leaned forward putting an elbow on the table and pillowed my head on my arm facing him. "There. Resting. Happy?" I asked. That was a little better actually. I smiled with relief, and overwhelming fatigue.

"Smart Ass." Jackson told me.

I could barely see his face though. Now that I sat only a foot away from him again, the voices in my head diminished to the faintest whisper, and I was ready to sleep again. My lids drooped. I struggled to keep them open. I needed to know what his news was.

A noise next to my head startled me with a jolt of adrenaline! It was a tray with a small breakfast. I'd never finished what had been served to me in the field. Rosa admonished me to eat, telling me I was too pale and skinny. Sweet woman. What could I say, she was right.

I pulled the tray between me and Jack, propping myself up on my arm, still partly laying down, and took a bite of the biscuit with jam. I needed the sugar and bread. My blood sugar was probably too low. It was hard to chew it though. I was so tired, plus I was nauseous, so swallowing was doubly hard.

"Doan fall into your food now." Jack cautioned, teasingly.

I glared at him, forcing the food down I responded, "I'm fine! Why does no one believe me?" I was always fine after noon. The mornings were hard yes, but so what? It's not like I had to do anything but lay around watching plants grow anyway. What did it matter if I wasn't fit to move until they were finished growing?

"Maybe you'd have a bit more credibility, if you didn't look like you hadn't slept in a week and didn't faint after standing up." He suggested, sounding for all the world as though he was just offering me a helpful suggestion.

I winced. The sleeping thing was a problem, but not something I could really do anything about. Time for a change of subject.

I took another bite to stall. The sugar helped anyway. "When will Clotile be here? I've missed her."

"I told her I'd pick her up this evening, but seeinas how most o' the folks she's wantin' to see seem to be here...?" I nodded. Pretty much all the women were on or around Haven. Life was softer here. A few that were married to the hunters stayed there, and a few married to the hunters on the back forty were out there too, but otherwise most were around the main grounds. "I'll pick her up once I'm done eatin."

"Great!" Judging by the way he was cutting his way through that food, that'd be pretty quick. "Rosa?" I called. When she came, I whispered, "Could you send someone to fill up Jack's bike with gas? Let's show him some hospitality." She grinned and nodded. She knew Jack belonged here. Everyone did. I'd made sure of it. I just wish Matthew was here and that I could do the same for him. But he still wanted me to keep his secrets. That's all I could do to honor him, so I'd play it his way.

"Would you mind going ahead and telling me your news now? I have a feeling I need to know this as soon as possible."

He sighed, his arms caging his bowl of fruit that he'd just started on closer, as though I might take it back. He leaned in closer to me then so we were only half a foot apart. I could feel his breath, smell the spices and fruit as he spoke. "You remember what you told me, that night before the flash?"

My eyes teared up. Instantly. I bit my lip, trying really hard not to cry in front of this man I'd wronged. I'd never forget telling him he shouldn't come back. I'd regretted it for over two hundred days. You don't forget something like that.

He looked confused at my eyes. "The sketch you gave me." He clarified. "The warning, about the Lovers and their army."

Oh God, no. My eyes widened. Was that was he was talking about? This was why Matthew warned me it was time to flee? I sucked in a breath.

He nodded, seeing we were on the same page now. "They're headed this way, marching west. I figure you're got maybe three days. Four at the outside. My outfit, the militia I was with, they'll be here in another day, maybe as early as tonight if they push it. Clotile and I rode on ahead to warn you. I gave my CO and XO the warning you gave me and I'll never know why, but they listened."

I knew why. Because Jack was a smart man and his leaders were obviously intelligent enough to see that.

"So they're all bugging out and we're all headed to Texas. We figure anyone can stop an army this size, it would be them." He paused, looking at me, then added, "I'm sorry, Evie. I truly am."

I lost the battle and a tear fell. I wiped it away quickly, looking away before I lost any more, trying to steady my breathing so I didn't break down at the table. Yeah, I was sorry too. This sucked big. Tee-bo's wife Skylar was pregnant and due in maybe six or seven months. Travel in her condition was going to suck. I just prayed and the dozens of other pregnant moms wouldn't have to deliver on the road, but I knew the odds were not in our favor. A few of them were very pregnant.

But we knew! Now, before it was too late, to start packing. Hell, we had twice the time we needed! "Thank you." I told him quietly. He'd done it again. Saved us all. Again. He was looking away, hands clenched into fists, but at that his head snapped back and his brows shot up, looking shocked as all hell at my words. I couldn't imagine why, but I laid it out for him.

"You gave us at least three days warning. That's more than we ever would have had other wise." I smiled softly. Surely he could see what a blessing that was to the four hundred people who would have to pack up and leave. Leave! I wiped another tear away. He clenched his fists again, jaw tight. He still didn't seem to see what he'd done for us. "You saved us again Jack!" It was kinda funny, so I laughed, which made another tear fall. The irony. He'd arrived only when it was time to leave. It wasn't fair!

Suddenly he couldn't seem to get out of there fast enough. Guess I scared him off. He said he'd go fetch Clotile and tore out of there. That was fine. I needed to get myself under control. Rosa came over, asking what was wrong.

I didn't beat around the bush, quickly sharing what was up. "It's time Rosa. It's time." That was our code. Her eyes got wide and her hand flew to her mouth covering her exclamation. I tugged on her arm, urging her to take a seat. "Jack came to bring us warning, and he's given us three days notice, which is amazing, Rosa. We won't be leaving in a panic or a rush. We'll have plenty of time. But we'll need to get started. Can you go ahead and send the runners with word? Get the ball rolling? I need to get out to the fields. The morning's planting is only just begun. Every little bit counts now. We'll finish what you've asked for and then get started on the planting schedule for evacuation. Can you have one of the girls bring those seeds out after lunch?"

"Of course Miss Evie. It will be done."

I'd need to drain as much as possible in the morning to make up for the extra planting this afternoon. We'd have to use the stored fertilizer to plant this afternoon's produce...but there was still room for some options. I needed to have a talk with Gaston. He could probably get the intel I needed at lunch.
"I need to get back to planting."

"Not without finishing your breakfast you won't. You need to keep up your strength young lady. Doan think I cain't tell you ain't about to keel over any second." Her eyes bore into me and I sighed. She was right. Besides, I'd need the extra food to make up for what I planned to do in the morning.

"That's fine. Could you bring it outside though. I need to get started."
"Shore 'nuff. Abigail. You come bring Evie's tray outside please."

"Alright, Rosa." Abigail, one of the friendlier Sterlingtonrls who'd married into the Cajun community and worked in the kitchens, picked up my tray with a smile at us and lead the way outside, holding the door with her back until I passed through.

I stood, not feeling quite as bad, and walked though. Abigail fell into step beside me. "I couldn't help but notice you were upset Evie. Something wrong?"

Our leadership circle had agreed we wouldn't feed the bugout info to the community piece meal. It wouldn't be right to create uncertainty and panic at such a difficult time. But it was my duty as head of the gardens to start the leaving preparations. Normally this would be done ASAP. Instead it would wait until lunch, with the announcement going out at supper tonight. "Nothing I can talk about at the moment. Expect an announcement at the supper meal."

She nodded, knowing I didn't gossip. She just wanted to know when she could expect to know and if it was serious enough that it would effect our community.

Everyone pretty much knew I was the one who'd foreseen the flash. Since Matthew hadn't let me tell anyone about him, I was the psychic by default. So Abby knew if I was upset, it could potentially be something major that might effect everyone, or it might just be something in my own little world. And since I didn't have a love life, odds were, something that effected the community.

I'd worried, a lot, about letting the story be told at large. I'd finally allowed it because first, people had questions, second, because Mel and the Jandin's had promised to handle the issue with care, third, because I wanted Jack's part in it told, and because fourth, I was starting to get strange looks, and Mel and the others promised that if I let them tell the story, they could get the looks to stop, and get the folks to treat me just like any other person, which was what I wanted more than any thing else.

It had worked just like they'd promised.

I'd refused to make any announcements about it, in spite of Mel telling me she got questions about it when she was trading in the early months, asking how we'd known what was coming. Maybe she ended up telling them something after all, but if she did, I didn't know and I didn't ask. No one looked at me funny or talked to me about it and that was all I cared about. They treated me like everyone else, which was what I wanted.

Before Abigail left, I asked her if she'd find Gaston in the fields for me. I needed a word with him. I'd do it myself, but everyone knew how I was in the mornings. She gave me a scolding look and placed the glass of milk and second ham biscuit in my hand telling me to, "Get started on that!" and took off down the fields.

I laughed. Funny how as the Grand Empress, even the kitchen help ordered me around. I didn't really think of Abby like that though. She was a sweet girl and fun to talk with. It was just a funny thought how Empress like I wasn't. And I liked it that way. I was as far from the Red Witch as possible.

Grinning, I took a big bite of my biscuit, watching as Abby found Gaston and motioned that he needed to head my way. I swallowed, then grinned even wider as Abby did not head back to the kitchens, but headed further into the fields, finding Gabriel Champagne, her husband of a few months to give him a big smooch.

One thing about Cajuns, they kissed the way they liked their food, full of boldness and spice. I didn't look away. He was obviously appreciative of her visit. Then he sent her on her way with a little smack on the ass. I could hear her squeal from here. Maybe not so little. I could hear the men laughing. From the smile on her face, she didn't seem to mind.

To be happy and in love, and to know the one you loved loved you back and wanted to keep you forever. That would be something very special. I wasn't jealous, not exactly. She was a sweet girl and I was too happy for her to be jealous. More wistful. It would be nice to have that someday.

Gaston was here so I snapped out of my musings. "Hey Gaston. Have a seat."

"That's Evie. What'd you need."

"Did you hear Jack's back?"

"Jack? Jackson Deveaux? He's back? Where?" He looked around.

"He was on that bike that came in this morning. He headed back out to get Clotile. He left her at the Basin with some friends and went back to fetch her. They didn't realize most everyone was here. I figure you'll get a chance to visit at lunch."

He'd seemed a bit panicked thinking Jack had left again, thinking he'd left his chance since he'd heard that bike head out again but likely hadn't known who was on it, but grinned at the thought they'd visit at lunch.

"Could you do me a favor? Probe him a bit a lunch? Find out if he's missed any food in particular since the flash? We'll be planting this afternoon pretty heavy so we'll have a chance to get in a few of his favorites if you can figure those out."

"Mais, yeah. I can do that, me." He narrowed his eyes. "But why're we planting heavy this afternoon? That's kinda unusual ain't it?"

"It is. You'll understand when you see the planting list."

His face got serious. "What's goan on Evie?"

"You know I'm not supposed to tell folks things before the announcements Gaston. Just wait for the announcement tonight at supper. Alright?"

He blew out a breath, not liking it, but knowing that's how things were done here. "Ouais. I'll wait for supper. What're we having?"

"I think it's a crawfish broil and some berry pies. They've got big pots of gumbo going for lunch too. That should hit the spot, right?"

"Mais, yeah. Sounds great. Better get back to work. Want me to bring you some corn to shuck in a bit?"

"That'd be great. I like to keep busy."

"I know you do. See ya in a bit."

I remembered then that Jack would want a to clean up when he got back. He'd need a clean change of clothes. And I had a shirt to return. At first I'd turned up my nose at the shirt Tee-bo had given me that was just like the one Jack had left behind, but then I'd changed my mind and asked for it back. I tucked it into my drawer with the bottle of rum I was saving against the day when Jack came back. I had to hope that some day he'd come back. Besides, the shirt he'd left that I'd worn and washed a couple hundred times was worn now, too worn to ever return.

When Abby came back with the trash bag and trays to shuck corn, I asked her, "Abby, in my room, I've been saving something for Jack. Could you put it in whichever room has been prepared for him? And make sure someone's available to show him and Clotile to the solar showers when they get back?"

"Sure thing Evie."

"In my dresser, top drawer on the left is a hunter green henley. I've been saving a few things for Jack there in case he came back. I'd do it myself but I don't think I'm up to the trip there and back just yet." I grimaced. I didn't like admitting that. I felt fine sitting. A trip up and down the stairs would probably take me way too long though. And Abby wouldn't mind.

"It'll be done." She gave me a wink and took off at a jog. Abby was high energy, nearly running practically everywhere. Made me tired just looking at her.

I finished off the last of my food when Gaston brought me a basket of corn and I sat up and got to work. He frowned. "You're not doin' all this alone are you?"

"Nah. Abby'll be right back. She's just runnin' an errand for me real quick."

"Bon."

I got to work and Abby joined in telling me everything was settled and ready for Jack and Clotile when they got back. She took a seat next to me and promptly showed me up, shucking two ears to my one. It was like she was on speed or something.

She shared some of the kitchen gossip while we worked. I listened, kept my hands busy and the plants growing, nodding and laughing, making a few comments. It was a good time.

Gabriel had picked out yellow roses and white daisies for Abby when they were courting. When they'd gotten married, I'd grown her a large bunch for her bouquet that Saturday. She had a bright and sunny personality, just like the flowers she preferred. He still picked her a small bouquet, just a couple roses and a small bunch of daisies tied together. He kept her smiling, which I liked.

I heard the roar of the bike before I saw them. They drove right up to the house, parking by the porch. I wondered why he declined to park with the motor pool, but figured he had his reasons. I noticed he kept the key in his pocket. I waved Clotile over, smiling huge. Jack gave us a wave but went on in. He looked exhausted.

I stood slowly, putting my corn aside. It was close to eleven so I was better but not great yet. "Hi Clotile! It's so great to see you!"

"Evangeline! It's good to be back." She gave me a big hug that I returned then pulled back and asked quietly. "Did Jack-?"

"Yeah. He did. We have some time though. The announcement will be at supper tonight so we'll tell folk then. We're spreading word and everyone will be here for the meal anyway."

"Everyone? How many folk are there here?" She looked around at the men in the fields, counting.

"We're spread out a bit, but all told we've got about four hundred residents all together."

Her eyes were huge and her lips moved without sound mouthing, "Four hundred." really slow.

"Yeah. We've grown a bit. There's everyone Jack, you and his friends saved from the Basin, then the people of Sterling, and the folk in the surrounding towns that we gathered in as we went door to door. And the odd traveler who passed by and decided this made a good place to stay. There've been a few folks who made trouble and the men had them clear out, but by and large that's how it's been."

Clotile stared out at the fields, watching the plants grow. The corn stalks were sprouting up quick as a flash. A man planted a seed. Another man went along behind to fertilize it with a dropper and bottle of solution. A third man scooped earth around it as the seed sprouted. The fourth in the row of men walked along, stomping the soil in firmly so the stalk was well anchored as it grew. It was knee high by the time he got there. In the rows behind them pairs of men picked ears from fully grown stalks that these four men had planted not a few minutes before.

Sets of men like these planted green beans next, that grew up around the corn stalks. We were having a crawfish boil tonight, heavy on the vegetables. There was a lemon and orange tree sprouting in the back, red and brown potatoes, artichokes, onions, garlic and mushrooms that would sprout in the shade of the trees. There were even broccoli and asparagus. We went heavy on the garden produce because meat wasn't always easy to come by.

I knew the moment she saw the tree sprouting up. "Evie?" She pointed. "Is that?" She covered her hands with her mouth, laughing. "Is that a tree?"

"It is indeed. Either an orange or a lemon. Whichever it is, the other is next. Your friend Gaston is out there. Why don't you go say hello? Pick one if you want."

"Coo-wee! You work miracles here!" She said softly.

"If you want you can get in on the action."

"What do you mean?"

"You can help. Get one of the guys to teach you how it works."

Her beautiful face with it's dark eyes and black lashes opened wide in astonishment. "Truly? You'd tell me the secret?"

"You're trusted Clotile. You're one of us. Of course you can know. It's a fertilizer we've created here. We can only create so much a day, so it's used carefully, only drops at a time. We're very careful not to waste any. And we're careful not to let the secret get beyond our gates, but that's about it."

"How is it made? Can I help?"

"Um...I'm sorry Clotile. That part is sort of...complicated. And I'm not really at liberty to discuss it. Other than to say it's something my family has worked on for generations and it's not something just anyone can create, I'm sorry to say. I very much wish you could help." I gave her a sad smile, hoping she understood.

She studied me for long moments, then slowly nodded, just saying, "Well, I'm glad you were able to figure it out them." She looked out at the field. "Everywhere we've ever been, Evie, nothing grows. Not a single stalk of green. Not one blade of grass. You're right to guard this."

Then she gave me a happy grin. "I'm goan see Gaston, pluck an orange, then see about that bath! See you at lunch! What're we havin" She'd already taken off, half jogging backwards.

"Gumbo!" I yelled.

"Gumbo?!" She hooted. "I could get used to this!" She turned around and jogged down the drive, then cut across the field to the workers.

I watched her as Abby and I shucked more corn. The workers brought out two more baskets of corn and peas, taking them up to the porch this time and knocking on the door then leaving. The signal there was a delivery.

Abby grabbed our tray of shucked corn, and headed inside with it, while I kept working. She brought more girls with her when she came out.

When Clotile came back with an orange in hand and a huge grin on her face, I waved her over. "Have a good time out there?"

"I sure did! I got to plant and make some corn grow! I just squirted the drops of magic fertilizer on it and poof! Up it went! Tall as me in seconds!" She threw her hands up, gesturing wildly. It was adorable.

"I'm glad you had a great time. Listen, your room should be ready with a change of clothes inside. The solar showers are set up off along the field that way." I gestured to my right. "You should bring your clothes and a towel from inside. Soaps and what not are provided out there, but there are a few nicer things in the house that you're more than welcome to if you'd like. And maybe you could let Jack know if he doesn't already?"

"Yeah, sure thing!" She did a half turn, but then came back and got down beside my chair, throwing her arms around me. I dropped the corn in my lap and returned her exuberant hug gladly. Into my hair she told me, "Thanks for everything Evie. The warm welcome and everything. It's great to see you again!"

I blinked back tears holding her tight and told her softly, "I'm just really glad you're finally here Clotile. You and Jack."

She let me go and headed off inside, giving us a half salute and smelling her orange like it was the most beautiful thing she'd seen in ages. I'd have to take her to the flower garden. Then again, food was beauty when you didn't have it.

When the lunch bell came we were more than ready. I tried to help carry trays out but wasn't allowed. I huffed and crossed my arms when I was told to sit on the couch and wait until things were served. I felt totally useless.

I decided to head up to my room to check on my "Jack returns" stash.

I had a drawer set aside for things I wanted to give to Jack when he came back. A bottle of rum from the first batch we made on Haven. Another bottle of Jack Daniels. A third of aged Scotch Whiskey. A good buck knife, half the blade was serrated. I didn't know what kind it was, but it was sharp and heavy. The survival books always talked about a good knife being important. A multipurpose tool. An LED flashlight and extra battery. Fishing line and hook. Binoculars, Duct tape, Bandanas, wire. A handgun and two boxes of bullets. I stood looking at the contents of the drawer feeling relieved beyond belief that I'd actually have the chance to give this to Jack before he and the Haven folks left.

Lionel and Tee-bo both knew about my stash. They even approved. This was why I had so much liquor and the gun with two boxes of bullets. I had a backpack to put it all in and a back pack for me. My bug out bag drawer had similar contents. I even had alcohol in mine, though I didn't plan to drink mine. It had a ton of uses. Sanitation, ability to start a fire, cleaning a wound, that sort of thing. Everyone had a bug out bag ready to go in case of emergency. That was part of the plan. Mine was a little different than most, given that I didn't need the medical supplies that most folks did. I packed seeds instead.

I didn't want to think about what the end of Haven meant for me. I'd known this was coming.

Sighing, I closed the drawer and headed down to lunch. I sat between Mom and Mel, one of the last ones down.

"Hi Mom, Mel, Isabeu."

"Afternoon, Evie. You feeling better Sweetheart?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Hey Eves." Mel said. "I see Jack's back finally. What do you think of that?" She asked.

"I think it's great that he's back but the timing sucks."

"Yeah, your mom told me the news." She frowned, looking over the folks. Then her eyes turned toward Jack again and she tilted her head, her brows quirking.

"What?" I asked.

"That shirt he's wearing looks awfully familiar, doesn't it?" She said quietly, in a musing tone, then her eyes cut to me and she lifted one brow, the corners of her lips tilting up, like something was funny.

I looked at him. He was wearing the green shirt I'd sent. The one that looked the same as my nightshirt. The one Mel had seen me in a hundred times. And others around the house had seen me in dozens of other times too. Oh crap!

My face swung to her in horror. I hadn't thought of that! I'd just been returning his shirt! I hadn't meant for everyone to see him in it and connect him to the shirt I wore every night! Oh crap crap crap!

My face heated with my blush and I covered it with my hands. Mel laughed slow and then louder and I hissed, "Shut up!"

She did stop, thankfully, but she leaned in to whisper, "So that's why you wear that tattered old shirt every night. Evangeline Greene, I think there's something you haven't told me." She teased.

Ugh. I hid in my hands again. Stink it. Damn. If Tee-bo saw Jack in that shirt, as many times as he saw me in the early mornings, I was screwed. No two ways about it.

"Later." I hissed. "After lunch."

"Deal. And you'd better not flake out, or I'll have to ask around, and you won't like my choice of persons to interrogate."

After I few bites I shared, "We're probably having a fais do-do tonight, the first one after Jack comes back, and probably my last one. You know what that means."

She put down her spoon and stared at me. "You're not seriously planning on going through with that? I thought that was just your angst talking!"

I stared at him, sitting and laughing with Gaston, finally here at Haven, where he should have been all along if not for me. "I owe it to him, Mel."

"So freaking apologize like a normal person! I bet you twenty burpees you can't get through it without crying."

"Fine. Bet you thirty inverted crunches your eyes water."

"Oh, please! I'm a stone. Never happen. Deal."

"Alright, but if I have to pay up, you have to do something equally pervy on the pole to distract your hubby while I'm working or send him away. It's only funny when he's perving on you."

"Deal. And we need to do our dance at least once tonight."

"Why make that a condition?"

"Why not? We're going to have to leave soon. I want to fly as often as I can before it's time to go. Not like we can take the poles with us."

I smiled. "Alright. Deal. But if I know your hubby, he'll find a way to get you another set wherever you end up." Flying was super fun. Like dancing in the air. Almost like having a new super power.

She smiled a secret grin, her "I'm gonna get me some." smile. "Yeah, your probably right. He likes watching way too much to give it up. That man will find a way."

When it was time for desert, I sat with the girls from the kitchens, needing a break from Mel's knowing gaze. Then I felt someone looking at me. I could tell from the small hairs rising on my neck. I looked around. It wasn't Mel.

Jack! I raised my brows. What? He just kept looking, as though trying to figure something out. I shrugged and looked away. When I stood to go after I finished eating, I noticed he got up too, headed my way. I froze. He motioned with his head to the side, away from the others.

I slowly headed that way, but looked back at Mel. She gave me a "What the hey?" look. I motioned toward Jack and mouthed, "Just a minute."

She nodded and headed inside. I knew she'd be in my room, waiting. I blew out a breath. Not looking forward to that conversation.

Jack wanted to know if we were prepared to move out four hundred people to Texas in only three days. Was that what he wanted to know? I put his mind at ease, letting him know we were prepared to do that in half that time. I smiled because I was glad we were prepared, but it was sad because they'd probably leave and never come back, and because I wouldn't be going with them. In fact, depending on how things worked out, I wasn't sure if I'd ever see them again. I did have cards out there who wanted to kill me after all. Who knew if I'd run into them on the way...

Then I remembered that Jack's militia would be arriving soon. They'd traveled and were armed. They probably knew what conditions were like out there on the roads. We didn't. They'd need food, maybe fuel. Two birds and one stone. I set in motion plans to meet up and headed off to talk to Mom, letting her know. She thought that was a great idea.

Then I found Gaston and got the information I needed on Jack. He hadn't been very forthcoming. I guess after being out on the road, everything was good here. I'd have to probe more at dinner. Back to the kitchens to brief Rosa, and up to my room where Mel was waiting. I'd have to make this short.

"Hey Mel."

She'd pulled my night shirt from under my pillow, and was leaning back against my pillows, feet stretched out, the shirt laying flat on the bed next to her trim figure. She was as fit and lean as her husband, but with lush curves. The seams had been mended and the color was a bit faded, but it was obviously a twin to what Jack had been wearing.

"Spill."

"Right... So that night that Jack helped me fix the barn, I had a vision and got a nose bleed. Jack used his shirt on my nose and it got stained. I tried to wash it and we left it in the barn, then slept in the fields. That's when we...I already told you all of that a long time ago. So I kept the shirt and I was going to give it back, but when I realized how wrong I'd been about everything and that he wasn't coming back anytime soon..."

"You started sleeping in it."

"Yeah."

"So you've been hung up on him ever since. He's why you won't even look at another guy? You only knew him a week Eves!"

"I know, Mel. I know it sounds strange and on the surface, it doesn't make any sense. But, there was something between us that was so strong and powerful, that I've never forgotten it. I've never felt that way with anyone else. Maybe, you just know sometimes? You know?"

"Yeah, Eves. I know. You gonna tell him?"

My eyes got wide. "No, I'm not gonna tell him! Are you nuts?"

"Why is that nuts? He's here and you're here. Finally! Make a play. See how it goes. What if you miss your chance?"

"Mel, we're only here together for a couple days. Then y'all are headed out together and I'm off somewhere else. You didn't forget that did you?"

"No, but I still think it's a dumb plan. Nothing's written in stone."

"We didn't part on the best of terms. And I don't even know that he really liked me all that much. It could have been one sided. Or just a physical thing for him. There's really no telling."

"Which is why you should talk to him."

What was it about all the married folks around here? All of a sudden they got married and then they seemed to thing talking was the solution to everything!

"I've only got a couple days. I'm going to have well enough alone and so are you. I don't need him muddling up my head. He did a good enough job of that the first time around. I have plans that don't include him. He has plans that don't include me. And I've got work to do that I need to see to. I need to get going. Promise me you won't say anything to him or to Lionel about this."

She gave me a long hard look but said, "Fine. I promise. But I won't have to. I'm not the only one who's see you in that shirt Eves."

I walked out saying glumly, "Yeah, I know." I'd stuck my foot in it deep. I should've waited to give that back until it was time to leave. Damn it. Maybe I could spill some food on it and take it back for cleaning. Then he'd have to wear the other one. When I was downstairs I asked Isabeu, who was prepping food, "Have you seen Jack?"

"Sure. He's in his room. He looked exhausted. He and Clotile are both resting. She told me he hasn't been sleeping much. They pressed hard to get here quickly so we'd get the news early."

Wow. He'd gone without sleep so we'd have time to prepare to leave. I looked towards the rooms upstairs. Indebted. We all owed him huge. Unfortunately, now I couldn't reclaim that shirt.

"Has the word gone out?"

"It has. Bikers have been sent out. The raiding parties have all been told to come back in. Everyone is to gather tonight for the announcement. We'll start breaking things down and packing storage in the morning. We should be ready to go the following morning."

"Good. That's good." That had been one of our bigger worries. That some of our folks would be separated from the group while out on a raiding trip.

"Jack wants to look over our books tonight on the food, fuel and transportation calculations. He wants to make sure we have enough to spare before we offer to barter that with his militia."

"Oh, that's kind of him. I'll have them ready after dinner."

"Alright, see you then."

After the winds died down I headed out into the fields to grown the afternoon crops. We'd gotten lucky and only had a couple hours of wind storms today. In short order I had a basket of corn to be shucked and a large bowl of green beans ready to be snapped at my feet. A soft smile on my face as I worked, pulled the bowl in my lap and got to snapping as I watched the ground sprout to life.

The leaving crops were a variety of fruits, nuts and vegetables that would store well without refrigeration, or would ripen gradually off the tree while they traveled. So it was mostly growing an orchard: Apples, oranges, lemons, limes, avocados, pineapples, pecans, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic. We'd already dried a mountain of herbs so thankfully those didn't need to be grown.

There wasn't much more beautiful than a growing field of crops. Except for Jack... I snapped the peas a little slower, remembering as he'd walked up the drive. Each footstep had seemed to echo with the pounding of my heart, until it had seemed as though the ground was quaking. Only, no one seemed to notice it but me.

I shook my head and redoubled my efforts. I was just being silly.

Later that afternoon Tee-bo came in. I waved and he came over, sitting next to me, grabbing some beans from my bowl and taking a bite.

"Those'll taste better cooked you know." I told him.

"I'm so hungry they taste just fine now."

"How was hunting?"

"Jus' fine. We got a mess of things to add to the pots tonight. Should be great."

"You got the news?"

"I heard we're pullin' out day after tomorrow, ouais." He stared at the orchard glumly. I guess he hadn't heard. Goodie! I got to tell him! He-he.

"Guess who's here." I asked, my tone mischievous

He shrugged.

"Jackson Deveaux."

"For true?" His head swung to me, eyes alight with glee.

"For true. He and Clotile brought the warning. Savin' our hides again looks like."

"Ha-ha! I'll be!" He was as gleeful as a little boy who'd been told Christmas had come a week early.

"He's takin' a nap. I heard they pushed hard to get here quick. To bring us the warning early. Went without sleep."

"My podna." He twisted to look at the house. "I knew he'd come back. Just knew it. This is the best news ever ever!"

"Yeah. It's pretty great." I said softly.

"I'm gonna go see him. Been too long. Later Evie."

He was already gone. "Later Tee-bo." I whispered. My eyes watered. I got back to snapping, sniffing a little. I had less than two days left. Matthew and I had talked about my options several times. I wanted so badly to stay with my family, but Matthew had told me, if I stayed with Haven's people, the Lovers army would follow us, would catch us, and they would die trying to protect me, or suffer a fate worse than death. The Lovers tortured people somehow. I didn't ask for details, and Matthew didn't want to give them. The only path he saw for us that would work, was for me to break off, to go it alone in a different direction from them.

Tee-bo had a wife with a baby on the way so he was out. Lionel and Mel were too important to Haven, we never would have found half the things we needed without his resourcefulness and I'd never put Mel in danger. I wouldn't hear of them coming along when I had dangerous cards after me who made threats on my life. Death still popped up to make his threats sometimes. It would tear me apart if anything were to happen to them.

Ronan offered to send a team of ten single men with me. Matthew said they would attract too much attention, and that our party would perish, one by one. I couldn't let their deaths stain my conscience either, so I turned down that offer too. Then he told me I couldn't go at all. So I laughed, and asked if he really thought that he could stop me. So I lied a little. I asked if he really thought that he could prevent someone who could see the future from stealing a car when the guard was looking the other way, and heading out on my own. At least this way I would be stocked up with food and fuel rather than ill prepared. Unless he wanted that on his conscience.

He took that hard, got pretty mad at me. They all did. But they got over it. I didn't like playing them that way, but what else could I do? Let them die for me? Not gonna happen. So they finally got over it and let me have my way, but they didn't like it, and I knew it. I just prayed I managed to make it back to them, and didn't get myself killed.

I really, really didn't want to leave. They'd become my family. All of them. My tears splashed unheeded into the bowl as I worked. The green beans were a little pre-salted when I took them to the kitchen.

After I finished my pity party I decided to get busy and helped dig potatoes out. Getting a little dirty always cheered me up.

But that made me late for dinner because I had to wash up and change. Washing up was a little more complicated these days. I couldn't just go up to my room for a shower anymore. I could take a sponge bath in my room, and I did this every morning, but if I wanted to wash my hair, or if I was really dirty, then I needed a shower. The only way to get one of these was to use the solar showers we'd set up outside.

We had a grouping of solar shower stalls, one for men, another for women, and one more for the young children and babies. With four hundred people, this was a lot of people, which meant a lot of water. It hadn't rained since the flash. We had five wind powered water wells on Haven. We didn't know how long they would continue to pump water, but we tried not to take this resource for granted. This meant we used, reused, and then reused the water on Haven, recycling as much as possible. Our soaps were made by the women here and were biodegradable, so that even the washing water wouldn't hurt the soils. This was important because the wash water was used in the garden once we'd finished with it in the baths and the laundry. The cycle went like this.

First use was the showers. Solar showers operated on a pull to use mechanism. You pulled to wet yourself down. Then you soaped up. Once you were lathered, you rinsed by pulling the chain again. The shower stalls were raised and set above a drain that collected all the water, filtering and straining it, then sending the soapy water on down to the laundry.

The laundry too the soapy shower water and used it to wash the clothes. Then they used fresh water to rinse the clothes. The remains were used to water the fields along with water from the bayou. So for me to wash up, I had to run upstairs to grab a change of clothes, run out to the fields where the laundry and watering stations were set up and get my shower, then run back to the house and get dressed for the fais do do tonight, by which time it seemed like at least half of the people were already here. They were all dressed nice. It seemed like word had spread that this would be the last party at Haven, so people were going all out, wearing their finest clothes, trying to make this a celebration, instead of a time of mourning.

I ran upstairs and hurriedly threw off the shorts and top, then went to my closet, trying to figure out what to wear. It wasn't as simple as it seemed. The problem was, wearing their finest clothes for most folks showing up tonight, wouldn't necessarily mean anything close to my finest clothes. The Cajun's did things simpler, and I'd come around to their way of thinking, most of the time. Lionel had raided a few clothing stores, but even so, he'd kept his eye on things that would last, not on high fashion, with the exception of underwear and a few other items he thought women, specifically, his wife, needed. Mel had made sure some of these were added to my drawers. Why I wasn't sure. It's not like anyone would ever see them.

I went to my closet and tried to figure out what to wear. There would be dancing, but I'd only be dancing with my friends, still, I liked to dance.

Jack would be there. Would he want to dance with me? I froze with my hand on a pink shirt. Jack dancing with me?

Suddenly I didn't just want to look nice, I needed to look nice, but not like I was trying to hard. Shunning my favorite reds, I grabbed a deep blue cotton wrap dress that had a flounce on the sleeves and an a-line cut so that the skirt spun out if I twirled, which it would, given that there would be dancing tonight. Finding matching blue silk underwear I put those on, then the dress, a brown belt to accent and brown sandals with lots of straps around my feet and ankles. A blue ribbon in my hair for a headband. I wore my blue sapphire and diamond earrings, necklace and ring. A smattering of makeup, just eyeshadow, and lipgloss, but those products were hard to come by these days so anything used wouldn't ever be replaced. Then I spent ten minutes staring at myself in the bedroom mirror wondering if I was trying too hard. Should I just be wearing a skirt and cotton top? Maybe go the other way and wear jeans shorts? I didn't dress up much most of the time. What the heck was I doing? I was leaving everyone in a little less than a day! Then I started crying again. Damn it! Well, at least I didn't put on black mascara. Thank heaven for small favors right?

Knock on my door. "Yes?"

Mel called. "Evie? You coming to dinner or what?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"What's the hold up?"

I opened the door.

"Hey, you look nice." She was wearing a short jean skirt and a nice top that was black and strechy.

"I look stupid. I need to change."

I shut the door and started to unbuckle the belt. Mel slapped my hands hard. I shook them out. That stung!

"You don't look stupid. A little more dressy than usual but not stupid. What's taking so long?"

I just stared at her and bit my lip.

"You're nervous about Jack being at dinner."

I nodded.

"You're coming down with me right now or I'm telling the guys the reason you're late is because you couldn't decide what to wear because you wanted to impress him."

"You wouldn't!"

"I will if you don't quit being so ridiculous and get your ass downstairs! You're holding me up! Now move it!"

We grumbled and name called until we made it down stairs.

We reached the doors and she left first. Then when I didn't follow she turned back around. "You coming or what?"

"Or what."

"Come on!"

"You go on. I'll be just a minute."

"Nope. Won't leave a woman behind and all that crap. Get the lead out."

She literally shoved me out the door. Traitor!

Lionel and Tee-bo had picked spaces on either side of Jack. Tee-bo's wife was beside him. There were two empty spaces for us in front of Jack and Lionel. Ronan was beside Skylar Jandin. She still had six months to go, but she was counting them down.

Most of the kitchen women often sat with their families, but Rosa's brood often sat with us at the table, like tonight. They were beside mom who was next to Isabeu. Her grandchildren lined the bench on the other side where Ronain and Anais also sat. Clotile was sitting across from Tee-bo. As we stood on the steps, Mel told me, "You're sitting in front of Jack, by the way."

I turned and said, "What?! Why can't you sit in front of him?"

"You don't like it? Don't take an hour getting ready and get here the same time as the rest of the people, then you can chose your own seat. That's the only one that's left. Deal with it."

Then she marched off and left me standing there alone. Dang it!

So then everyone turned to look at me and I felt like a total idiot just standing there and I had to keep walking. One foot in front of the other. "Um. Hey everyone."

I got a bunch of "Heys" and "Hellos" with a scattering of "Bonjours." The three guys sitting together were each giving me looks that said quite a lot more. Tee-bo looked from Jack's shirt to me with a raised brow and a chin lift, telling me he thought that was interesting that Jack was wearing the duplicate to my nightshirt and I wondered if he had talked to Jack yet about why that was. I really really hoped not.

Lionel was giving me a smirk, then caught my eyes again with a raised brow of his own, like he knew I was trying to look extra nice tonight. Then he looked at Jack's shirt and back to me and raised both brows grinning now. Damn it! So he knew too.

But Jack! Jack was looking me over from head to toe and back again. My breath caught as my body responded, tingling and moistening. How could he do that with just a look? How? I jerked my eyes away, rounding the table and sitting down beside Mel...which was right in front of Jack.

The food was already placed on the table in the crawfish broil traditional manner. Folks had started digging in. I listened in as I helped myself to the asparagus and then broccoli, keeping my eyes on my food. All around me, it sounded like everyone was having a good time. The air at this table was heavy, though Lionel and Tee-bo were clearly happy Jack was back.

I was absorbed in my thoughts, mostly about Jack, and breaking open a crawfish when Clotile asked me, "Are you okay Evie?"

I swung my gaze up from my food to her. "Yeah, sorry. Just in my own head tonight." Then I talked quietly with her about my little project I was working on for Jack, getting her input on some things he could use. I also invited her and Jack to stay on with Havens folks once they got settled in to Texas. Hopefully they would take the offer. Haven could use the two of them. Then I asked her if she'd gotten everything she needed from supply. Unfortunately, at this point I forgot to keep my voice down. I'd told her Mel would take her after supper to get her bug out bag rounded out. I'd just finished saying, "Seriously Clotile. Anything you need. A good knife, first aid, soaps, whatever. Get yourself fixed up. We can take care of Jack at the same time too. Alright?"

Then Jack's angry voice broke into our conversation from across the table, practically vibrating with rage. "Just like that? Whatever we need? It's that easy?"

I was taken off guard by the outburst. All I could think was Seriously? I'd figured the guys would've straighten him out by now.

Lionel grinned. "Sure is podna. What's ours is yours."

He scowled. "A trade is one thing. Doan need charity."

Tee-bo snorted a laugh. "You wanna take this one Evie? I think you've given this speech a few times, just not to the man himself."

The corners of my mouth quirked. So true. I dusted off my hands and took a swallow of my water. Charity? Ha!

Hope you liked the update. There's more on the other website which is on my profile if you're interested.